Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz informed his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth, on Thursday that Israel plans to maintain its military presence within specific security zones established across Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip. During their discussion, Katz underscored that these deployments are essential to safeguard Israel’s borders and nearby residents from potential jihadist threats.
Katz clarified that Israel remains responsible for its own border security rather than seeking U.S. intervention. This stance follows reports from Axios suggesting that President Donald Trump recently urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw forces from Syria and Lebanon to de-escalate tensions.
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Israel has deployed troops into buffer areas near the Golan Heights and has frequently conducted operations within Syrian territory to pursue the establishment of a demilitarised zone. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to occupy a ten-kilometre security belt inside Lebanon. Although U.S.-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon are ongoing in Rome to discuss a phased withdrawal, Israel maintains its firm position on these strategic zones. In Gaza, the Israeli military currently controls roughly 60 percent of the territory, including the entire perimeter bordering Egypt and Israel.
